sIm«nbS¨ ]«WhmXnen\p]pd¯v, hn«pamdmsX R§Ä Im¯p\n¶p. ]ecpw Ahicmbn \ne¯ncp¶v I®p\oÀ hmÀ¯p. D¡WvTbpw hyk\hpw FsâbpÅn ]nWªpapdpIn. \mSphmgnbpsS ap¶n \nµnX\mbn \nev¡p¶ Kpcphnsâ ssZ\yw! F¶nemsI AXp \odn¸Scp¶p. AXpfhm¡p¶ B[nbm A\p\nanjw ]nSbp¶ a\Êv. ]oemt¯mknsâ hn[n¯oÀ¸dnbm³ bmsXmcp amÀ¤hpanÃsÃm. Kpcphn\v Ahsc´mWp hn[n¨Xv? \nc]cm[nbmIbm hn«b¨pthm?
]«WhmXnen\p `oamImcamb IXImWv. \me©pImhev¡mÀ D´n¯ÅnthWw ASbv¡m\pw Xpd¡m\pw. F¶n«pw AI¯p IS¡m\pÅ Xzcbm B IXIn ]eh«w Rm³ BªpXÅn. IXIn ImWmhp¶ sNdnb ]gpXneqsS AIt¯¡v Hfnªpt\m¡n. Imhev¡mÀ AXp IWvSv Fs¶ No¯]dªp. ASnt¨mSn¡psa¶p`ojWns¸Sp¯n. F¶n«pw ]n´ncnbmsX Rm³ sh{]mfs¸«p\n¶p.
AhnsS IqSn\n¶ aäp]ecpw ]«W¯n {]thin¡m\mImsX, im]hm¡pIÄ sNmcnªpsImWvSncp¶p. AhcpsS hÀ¯am\§fn , tbipsh¶ t]cpwtIÄ¡mambncp¶p. tbiphns\ ]nSnIqSn _Ôn¨pt]mepw. tbiphnsâ A\pbmbnIÄ ]«W¯n IelapWvSm¡m³ km[yXbpWvSs{X. AXp XSbm\pÅ ap³IcpXemWvFhnsSbpw. ]«W¯nsâ ]pdhmXnepIsfÃmw AS¨n«ncn¡p¶Xv AXpsImWvSmWs{X. FÃmw ImtXmÀ¯p\n¶n«pw, tbiphn\v F´pkw`hn¨psh¶v Bcpw ]dªp tI«nÃ. AsXs¶ hndfn]nSn¸n¨p. Hmtcm \mgnIbpw Hmtcm hÕcwt]mse Fsâ ap¶n Cgªp \o§n.
shbnepd¨v H³]Xmw aWnt\cambt¸mtg¡pw, aeapIfnse tZhmeb¯n \n¶p sIm¼phnfntI«p. B \mgnIbn¯s¶ ]«WhmXn IndpIndp¯p. ]cp¡³i_vZt¯msS IXIp Xpd¡s¸«p. hmXnev¡Â \n¶hÀ aeshÅwt]mse ]«W¯nte¡v Cc¨pIbdn. B Ips¯mgp¡n Rm\pw AI¯pIS¶p. Hcp \nanjw Ft§m«p t]mIWsa¶dnbmsX Ipg§n\n¶p. At¶cw shtdmWn¡bpw kqk¶bpw dmtlepw ASp¯ph¶p. I®pw ImXpw Npäp]mSpw Npgäns¡mWvSv kqk¶ Fs¶ sXm«phnfn¨p:
""adnbw, tIÄ¡p¶ntÃ, hÃm¯ Bchw...''
""tM? '' ImtXmÀ¡sh, Fsâ ImXnepw BÀ¯e¨p P\¯nsâ Bchw. \mSphmgnbpsS sIm«mchf¸n tIÄ¡mambncp¶ AtX i_vZtImemlew. A]i_vZ§fpw ]cnlmk§fpw. blqZ·mcpsS cmPmth PbPb... ]m]nIfpsS X¼pcmt\ PbPb... Iq¡phnfnIÄ... A«lmk§Ä...
FÃmw Kpcphnsâta sNmcnbp¶ IqÀ¯ apÅpIÄ! AXpbÀ¶p tIÄ¡p¶ Znibnte¡p R§Ä ]mªpsN¶p. Xptcms]bn³ Xmgvhcbn sN¶Xpw BÄ¡q«w IWvSp. ]Snªm«p t]mIp¶ hgntb XnanÀ¯p \o§p¶ ]pcpjmcw! hgntbmc§fn ]pf¨p\nev¡p¶ ImgvN¡mÀ. BÄ¡q«¯nte¡p Rm³ \pgªpIbdn. F¯nt\m¡sh, lrZbw ]nfcp¶ ImgvN. Kpcp! `mcn¨ ac¡pcnipw tXmfn hln¨v, heªp \o§p¶ tbip! ssZhta! A§s\Xs¶ hn[n¡s¸«pthm? kvt\lkzcq]\v IpcnipacWw! ]SbmfnIÄ N½«nNpgän Bt{Imin¡p¶p. \Ss¡Sm... thKw \S¡v...
I®n Ccp«pIbdp¶t]mse tXm¶n F\n¡v. hogmXncn¡m³ hgnh¡nse NpaSpXm§nbn F¯n¸nSn¨p\n¶p. IWvSp\nevs¡ s\ms´cnbp¶ a\Êv. Kpcphnsâ incÊn apÄ¡ncoSw !sa¿msI ASn¸nWcpIÄ. Ie§nb I®pIÄ. tNmcsbmen¡p¶ apJw. hndbp¶XmSn. hnbÀ¸n IpXnÀ¶ A¦nbn tNmc¸mSpIÄ. {]mWthZ\tbmsSbmWvv Hmtcm NphSphbv]pw. Kpcphnsâ tZls\m¼c§f{Xbpw FsâbpÅnte¡v. Fsâ {]mW\nte¡v. h¿. F\n¡p kln¡m\mIp¶nÃ.
AizmcqV\mb tdma³ iXm[n]s\ ap¶n ImWmw. ImÂhcnbnte¡pÅ hgnsbbmWv Kpcphns\ sImWvSpt]mIp¶Xv. Ipcnipw Npa¶v cWvSp IÅ·mcpw ]n¶msebpWvSv. H¸¯ns\m¸w lcw]nSn¨p \o§p¶ P\¡q«w. apt¶m«pt]mIm\mImsX Rm³ \n¶p InX¨p. kqk¶bpw dmtlepw ASp¯pWvSmbncp¶p. Rm³ ]dªp: ""F\n¡p \S¡m³ Ignbp¶nÃ. hÃmsX hndbv¡p¶p.''
""Rm³ ]nSn¨p \S¯mw. ''
kqk¶ ]dªp.AhfpsS tXmfn Xm§n Rm³ shtdmWn¡sb Xnc¡n:
""Ft´y shtdmWn¡m?''
""AhÄ Kpcphnsâ ]n¶n ¯s¶bpWvSv.''
apt¶m«p t\m¡sh, Hcp kwLw kv{XoIsf IWvSp. Kpcphnsâ sXm«p]ndtI \nehnfn¨psImWvSp \o§p¶hÀ. A¡q«¯n shtdmWn¡. amÀ¯bpw adnbbpw itemabpw. AhÀ Xm§n\S¯p¶ Kpcp amXmhv. ]ns¶ ]cnNbanÃm¯ Ipsd apJ§Ä. ZpJmÀ¯cmb A½s]§·mÀ. FÃmhcpw HmSnsb¯nbtÃm ssZhta, ZmcpWamb Cu A´yw ImWm³!
""Fs¶sbm¶p thKw \S¯tW kqk¶....'' Rm³ ]dªp: \ap¡pw KpcphnsâbSp¯v thKw sNÃWw. HmSns¨¶v B Ipcnsim¶p Xm§m³ Ignªm Bizmkamtbs\ Kpcphn\v.''
\S¸n\p thKwIq«n kqk¶. CSp§nbXmWv ImÂhcnbnte¡pÅ hgn. \ndsb IqÀ¯ DWvS¡ÃpIÄ. Nhn«pt¼mÄ ImepIÄ thZ\n¡p¶p. IÃnfIn Imepdbv¡msX sX¶nt¸mIp¶p. hgn\ndªp \o§p¶ BÄ¡q«w. AhscIS¶v apt¶m«pt]mIphm³ hfsc ]mSps]«p. F¦nepw Kpcp hln¡p¶ Ipcninsâ ]n¶nse¯m³ R§Ä¡p Ignªp. At¶camWv AXp kw`hn¨Xv. Ipcninsâ `mchpw hln¨v Ip¶pIbdm\mImsX, Ahi\mbn Kpcp \new]Xn¡p¶p!
Hm... Fsâ ssZhta! FsâbpÅn \nehnfn DbÀ¶p. Rm³ apt¶m«p IpXn¨p. B Ipcnsim¶p Xm§phm³. Kpcphns\ ]nSns¨gpt¶ev]n¡phm³. B s\äns]m«nsbmen¡p¶ tNmc H¸nsbSp¡phm³..
F¶m Kpcphnsâ kao]w sNÃpw apt¼, ]SbmfnIÄ Fs¶ ]nSn¨pXÅn. ]ndIn hogpambncp¶ Fs¶ kqk¶bpw dmtlepw Xm§n\ndp¯n. I\nhnÃm¯ ]SbmfnIÄ Kpcphn\pt\sc Bt{Imin¡p¶XptI«p Rm³ \Sp§n.'' Dw... F´mshmcp IÅ¡fn... Fgpt¶ev¡v. Fgpt¶äp IpcnsiSp¯p \S¡v.''
tNhIcnsemcmÄ Nm«hoin Fgpt¶ev¡m³ {ians¨¦nepw AXn\p IgnbmsX, Kpcp Zb\obambn ]SbmfnIsf t\m¡n. AhÀ Ipcnip Xm§phm³ Hcmsf klmb¯n\p hnfn¨p. Hcp ]mhw {KmaoW³. Ahsâ klmb¯m Kpcp Fgpt¶äp. Ipcnipw Xm§n Ah\pw IqsS \S¶p.
]I I¯nsbcnbpIbmWv. Imäpt]mepw hnd§en¨p \nÝew. IbäwIbdpt¼mÄ, hnbÀ¸pw càhpw KpcpapJ¯v ]SÀs¶men¨p. s\änbnÂ\ns¶men¨nd§nb hnbÀ¸n I®pa§n. hoWvSpw IÃnÂX«n hogm³ AXpaXn. Rm\msI hnjan¨p. F´mWp sN¿pI? Kpcphnsâ Is®m¶v H¸ns¡mSp¡m³ Ignsª¦nÂ. Ccphi¯papÅ ]SbmfnIÄ {Ip²cmWv. AhÀ Kpcphns\ tlan¡pIbpw ImgvN¡msc AIäpIbpw sN¿p¶p.Ahsc IS¶psN¶v KpcpapJw F§s\ XpSbv¡pw?
BtemNn¨p\nevs¡, ASp¯am{Xbn Rm³ hnkvabn¨p. ]SbmfnIsf [n¡cn¨v shtdmWn¡ Kpcphn\pkao]w! AhÄ Hcp ssItekpsImWvSv KpcpapJs¯mgpIp¶ hnbÀ¸v H¸nsbSp¡p¶p! Kpcp\b\§Ä XpS¨psImSp¡p¶p! Bizmkt¯msS KpcpangnIÄ Ahsf ]pÂIp¶p. hne]n¨p\o§p¶ kv{XoIsf At±lw Xncnªpt\m¡p¶p. klXm]mÀ{Zamb Kpcp\b\§Ä. A½ s]§·msc Bizkn¸n¡phm³ At±lw NpWvS\¡n.
""Pdpktew ]p{Xnamtc, Fs¶ hnNmcn¨v \n§Ä hne]n¡cpXv. \n§fpsSbpw \n§fpsS a¡fpsSbpw c£bv¡pthWvSnbmIWw \n§fpsS \nehnfnIÄ...''
B hN\¯Wp¸n Bizkn¡m³ IgnªnsÃ\n¡v.Kpcphnsâ ZmcpWmhØbn a\ÊaÀ¯n tX§pIbmbncp¶p Rm³. IWvSpw tI«pw IqsS \S¶v BiXocpwapt¼, C§s\sbmc´yw Kpcphn\v! Rm\nsX§s\ kln¡pw? C\nsbhnsSbmWv F\n¡mizmkw? F\n¡n\n BcmWpÅXv? CÃ. adnb¯n\v C\nbmcpanÃ..
BÀ¯pÃkn¨p Ip¶pIbdp¶hÀ, alm]ptcmlnX\pw ]oemt¯mkn\pw kvXpXn]mSns¡mWvSncp¶p. F¶m ImÂhcnbnse¯nbt¸mÄ ]SbmfnIÄ ]pcpjmcs¯ XSªp. ChnsSbmÀ¡pw {]thi\anÃ. FÃmhcpw aebnd§n aS§nt¸mhpI. ChnsS KpcpXcamb Imcy§fmWv \nÀÆln¡phm\pÅXv. AXn\p ]pcpjmc¯nsâ km¶n²yw A\phZ\obaÃ.
aeIbdnh¶ ]pcpjmcs¯ ]SbmfnIÄ ]nt¶m«p ]mbn¨n«pw, R§Ä GXm\pw kv{XoIÄ aebnd§nt¸mImsX \n¶p. KpcpamXmhns\ Xm§n¸nSn¨v itemabpw amÀ¯bpw. AhÀ¡p XWembn shtdmWn¡bpw Rm\pw. adnbbpw dmtlepw kqk¶bpw. iXm[n]³ IpXnc¸pd¯p \n¶p NmSnbnd§n R§tfmSp IbÀ¯p: ""F´m \n§Ä GXm\pw kv{XoIÄ¡pam{Xw ImÂhcnbnsemcp {]tXyIX? t]mIq. thKw ØewhnSv. Asæn N½«nsbSp¡pw ]SbmfnIÄ.''
iXm[n]sâ ap¶n hn\bs¸«v Rm³ ]dªp: ""CXv tbiphnsâ amXmhv. R§Ä AhÀ¡p ktlmZcnamÀ. ZbhpWvSmbn ChnsS \nev¡m³ R§sf A\phZn¡Ww.'' Fs¶ Däpt\m¡n, au\w ]men¨v iXm[n]³ amdnt¸mbn. Kpcphns\bpw IqsSbpÅ cWvSpt]scbpw Ipcnin Xq¡phm\pÅ XpS¡¯nembncp¶p ]SbmfnIÄ. AXpIWvSp \nevs¡ iXm[n]³ hoWvSpw R§sf kao]n¨p: ""v\n§Ä kv{XoIÄ ChnSp¶p Ipsd AI¶p\nt¶mfq. ChnsS \S¡p¶ IpcnipacWw ImWm\pÅ a\¡«nbpWvSmInà \n§Ä¡v.''
iXm[n]³ Xncnªp \S¶Xpw, Fsâ {i² KpcpamXmhn ]Xnªp. hyk\inebmbn XoÀ¶ amXmhv! IWvSph¶ImgvNIfm ¯s¶ Ie§nt¸mb amXrlrZbw. C\n ]p{XacW¯nsâ t\À¡mgvNbn a\ÊpXIÀ¶v hoWpt]mtb¡mw. iXm[n]³ ]dªXpt]mse, IpcnipacWw ImWm\pÅ a\¡cp¯v BÀ¡pw Xs¶bnÃ. sXm«IsebpÅ hnem]hr£¯nsâ XWente¡p R§Ä amdnbncp¶p. C\n Ipcnip\m«p¶Xpw Ipcninteäp¶Xpw {]mW³ ]nSªpXocp¶Xpw hyàambn ImWm\mhnÃ.
a²ymÓambt¸mÄ HcnSnapg¡apWvSmbn. s]mSp¶s\ shbneWªv AhnsSbmsI CcpÄh¶paqSn. AÔImcau\¯nse Aán\mhnÂ\n¶v, Hcp \nehnfn DbÀ¶ptI«p. Fsâ ssZhta, Fsâ ssZhta, Fs¶ ssIhn«sX´v...
AXnthZ\bm s\©p]nfcp¶i_vZw! AXp KpcphntâXmbncp¶p. AXp kln¡m\mImsX Rm³ s]m«n¡cªp: ""Fsâ Kpcp... Fsâ {]mW\mY³...''
AXn\p XpSÀ¨bmbn amXmhnsâ A[c§Ä ]nfÀ¶v k¦S{]hmlw: ""Fsâ ]p{Xm... Fsâ aIt\... ''DSs\ AXhnsS Iq«¡c¨nembn¯oÀ¶p.
GXm\pw aWn¡pdpIÄ¡ptijw, CcpfI¶v A]cmÓkqcy³ {]Imin¨p. AIse aq¶p Ipcnint·Â aq¶pt]À Xq§n¡nS¡p¶Xp ImWmdmbn. ]nSsªgpt¶äv Rm³ At§mt«mSn. AhnsS, \Sphnse Ipcnin {]mW³ shSnª Kpcp! Iq¼nbSª I®pIÄ. heXphit¯¡p Nmªpt]mb incÊv. amd¯Sn¨p\nehnfn¨psImWvSv Ipcnin³ Nph«n Rm³ \n¶p. KpcpamXmhns\ Xm§n¸nSn¨psImWvSv itemabpw aäpÅhcpw AhnsSsb¯n. R§fpsS \nehnfnbn hnd§en¨pt]mb ImÂhcn. ]SbmfnIÄ aebnd§nt¸mbncp¶p.
B kabw AhnsSsbmcmÄ HmSnh¶p. AXp tbml¶m\mbncp¶p, itemabpsS ]p{X³. aIs\ IWvSv A½ hnXp¼n.
""Fsâ Kpcphns\ AhÀ _Ôn¨t¸mÄ, \o FhnsSbmbncp¶p?''
Aht\mSp Rm³ Kuch¯n tNmZn¨p. D¯canÃmsX tbml¶m³ Bß\nµtbmsS \n¶p. KpcpamXmhv kam[m\w ]dªp: ""FÃmw ssZh\nÝbw. AXp \ndthtdWvSXÃtbm...''
""FhnsS ktlmZcm aäpÅhÀ? ]t{Xmkpw aäpw?'' Fsâ tNmZy¯n\v Adnbnsöv Ah³ ssIaeÀ¯n ImWn¨p. Zp:JaS¡m³ ]mSps]SpIbmbncp¶p tbml¶m³.
hn§nbpw tX§nbpw R§Ä AhnsS¯s¶bncp¶p. Kpcphns\ hn«v FhntS¡mWp t]mhpI? Kpcp Xq§n¡nS¡p¶ Cu Ipcninsâ NphSÃmsX, FhnsSbmWv Cu aKvZe¡mcn¡v HcnSw?
ImÂs]cpamäw tI«p Xncnªpt\m¡pt¼mÄ R§fpsS kao]t¯¡v cWvSpt]À. am\ycmsW¶p tXm¶n¡p¶ a²yhbkvIÀ. AhÀ A\pI¼tbmsS R§sf ImWpIbpw ]cnNbs¸Sp¯pIbpw sNbvXp. Rm³ \nt¡mtZakv...''
""Rm³ AcnaYy¡mc³ tPmk^v. tbiphnsâ arXtZlw Gäphm§n BNmc{]Imcw kwkvIcn¡m\mWv R§Ä h¶Xv. At±l¯nsâ Bcm[IcmWp R§fpw.''
Bcpw AhtcmSp adp]Sn ]dªnÃ. kwibZrjvSntbmsS tbml¶m³ Ahsc t\m¡n\n¶p. kmhImiw Rm\htcmSp tNmZn¨p: "" FhnsSbmWv \n§Ä Kpcphns\ AS¡w sN¿p¶Xv?''
""ChnsSbSp¯pXs¶, Fsâ tXm«¯nÂ. AhnsS Rms\mcp¡nb ]pXnb IÃdbpWvSv.'' tPmk^v ]dªp. Rm³ Xebm«n. AhtcmSp tbml¶m³ kwkmcn¨p:
""CXv tbiphnsâ amXmhv. aIsâ icocw Cu A½bpsS aSnbnsem¶p sh¨p sImSp¡tW...Ahkm\ambn H¶pImWm³. Npw_n¡m³...'' Ahsâ KZvKZw R§sf t\mhn¨p. \nt¡mtZakv Bizmkw ]dªp:
""AX§s\Xs¶ sN¿mwktlmZcm.''
AhtcmSpIqsS tbml¶m\pw sN¶p. IpcnipNmbn¨v tbiphnsâ arXtZlw AhÀ Xmsgbnd¡n. B Xncpicocw Xm§nsbSp¯v AhÀ amXmhnsâ aSnbn InS¯n. aIsâ ASª I®pIfnepw tNX\bä icoc¯nepw aXnhcmsX sXm«pXtemSns¡mWvSncp¶p amXmhv. amXrlrZbw ]nfcp¶ X]vX\nanj§Ä. IWvSp\nev¡m\mImsX, KpcpamXmhnsâ ap¼n Rm³ ap«pIp¯n. Kpcphnsâ Xr¸mZ§fn t\m¡sh, a\ws\m´p. BWn¸gpXpIfn DW§n¸nSn¨ cà{]hmlw...
Hm...ssZhta... DÅw tX§n. Fsâ I®ocm IgpIn¯pS¨ KpcpNcW§Ä C§s\bpw ImtWWvSnh¶tÃm, Cu Zmkn¡v! ASp¯am{Xbn Kpcp]mZ§fn Iangv¶phoWv Rm³ Npw_n¨p. XWp¯pdª ]mZ§Ä! Fsâ I®pIÄ \ndsªmgpIn. NpSpI®ocm B tNhSnIÄ \\ªp. Fsâ apSns¡«gnªphoWv Kpcp]mZ§sf aqSn. B ]mZ§Ä XeapSnbm XpS¨pXphÀ¯n Rm³ hoWvSpw hoWvSpw Npw_n¨p. Fs¶ AhnsS\n¶v _eambn ]nSn¨p amäpIbmbncp¶p itemabpw kqk¶bpw.
Kpcp]mZ§fnse tNmcbn sNa¶pt]mbncp¶p Fsâ apSn¯p¼v. AX¸msS amdn tNÀ¯ph¨v hn§ns¸m«pt¼mÄ KpcpamXmhnsâ KZvKZw. Fsâ tbipth... Fsâ ]p{Xm... C\nbnhnsS aI\nÃm¯ Hc½....
A´yNpw_\w \evIn aIt\mSp bm{X ]dbpIbmWv A½. aäpÅhcpw Icªpw {]e]n¨pw Kpcps\änbn Npw_n¨p hnSsNmÃn.
Fsâ {]mW\mYt\mSp hnS]dbphm³ F\n¡p Ignbpambncp¶nÃ. Pohn¨mepw acn¨mepw Fsâ {]mWs\ hn«p]ncnbp¶nà Fsâ Kpcp. ]ns¶ Rms\§s\ bm{X]dbpw? CcpssIbmepw apSn hmcn¸nSn¨v apJw s]m¯n\n¶v Rm³ s]m«ns¸m«n Icªp.